The Effects of Gender Differences, Reading Habits and English Achievement on Reading Strategy

Abstract

Reading strategies enable readers to explain printed information more promptly and efficiently. Thus, they are regarded as indispensable factors on which the development of reading competence depends. This paper aims to investigate the effects of gender differences, extensive reading habits and English achievement on reading strategy. In this study, a 15-item questionnaire was conducted to 43 sophomores in a university of technology and science in northern Taiwan. The first research question is to explore the difference between male and female students in relation to their reading strategy use. Based on the independent t-test analysis of the two groups' students, this study found no evidence of a difference between males and females. Secondly, this study intended to examine the difference relating to their reading strategies between the students who have an extensive-reading habit and those who do not read extensively. It was found that there is a difference between the students who reported to read extensively and those who did not. Also, the students who have an extensive-reading habit reported more frequent use of reading strategies than those who don't read extensively. The third purpose of this study was to investigate if the more frequently students use reading strategy, the higher English academic achievement scores (i.e. semester grades) they will have. According to Spearman Correlation Test analysis, we found that there is a moderate positive correlation between overall reading strategy use and English achievement. In other words, the more frequently strategies were used, their achievement levels of English improved. This finding appears to support the increasing significance of reading strategy use. As reported in the findings, the more frequently strategies were used, the better students' English academic achievement was. It implies that reading strategies are worth being taught in class. In addition, it is suggested that EFL teachers may introduce extensive reading to students, organize and present appropriate reading materials, motivate and monitor learners' reading.